


running in circles (but we're still getting somewhere)

by broship_addict



Category: All For The Game - Nora Sakavic
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Blind Date AU, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Fullmetal Alchemist AU, Alternate Universe - Knight and Day AU, Ficlet Collection, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-03-05
Updated: 2017-06-28
Packaged: 2018-09-28 12:03:52
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 5,602
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10099757
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/broship_addict/pseuds/broship_addict
Summary: A compilation of Andreil AU ficlets.Most recent:In which neither Andrew nor Neil know that they’re on a date. It’s less than romantic. Blind Date AU.





	1. number one - blind date au

**Author's Note:**

> more of this au [here](http://broship-addict.tumblr.com/tagged/blind-date-au)
> 
> In which Andrew makes a mistake and Neil makes a mistake and somehow things turn out alright.

Nicky’s text messages - and there was a fuckton of them - had told him to be at the restaurant by 7:00 and to dress nicely. Just to be contrary, Andrew sat in the parking lot outside until a quarter past, showed up in stained sweats and an ugly long-sleeved tee, and did his very best to look disinterested when he finally did walk in.  _ Fuck _ Nicky and his dumb-as-shit ideas.

The best case scenario, Andrew thought, was finding someone like Roland, from back when he was still in college. Someone to get off with who wouldn’t ask for more. Andrew did not bother with thinking of worst cases, because he had already lived through those long ago.

He scanned the eating area, looking for anyone who vaguely seemed like they were waiting for a date. The restaurant was pretty classy - the lights were dimmed, servers wore neatly pressed shirts, and almost all the clientele came with a date or party. Nicky, disorganized disaster that he was, had not felt the need to give Andrew any reservation information or identifying features for his blind date, other than his name and the promise that he’s “super, turn-up-the-AC hot”.

Only one guy looked about right; he sat alone at a table for two, busily texting on his phone as if recently stood up. Andrew strode over.

“Alex?”

The guy froze mid-scroll of the various cat pictures he had been going through - strike one, counteracted by the fact that he didn’t seem fussy enough to actually give Andrew shit about his lateness - and looked up in bewilderment. “Yeah?”

Andrew had to fight to keep his expression neutral, because apparently for once Nicky had not exaggerated. Alex was probably the most attractive person Andrew had ever met. Dark, reddish hair was tousled on his head, his face was sharp and handsome, and his eyes were a piercing blue. He wasn’t really dressed up either, just wearing grubby faded jeans and a sweater that Andrew wouldn’t mind helping him out of.

Andrew found himself liking that, the casual display of disinterest, because it boded best for his chances of finding someone up to a casual fucking every once in awhile, rather than something high-maintenance and committing.

He pulled out his chair roughly and seated himself opposite of Alex. Alex’s eyebrow rose up as he slowly tucked away his phone.

“And you are?”

Andrew thought it was typical of Nicky to forget to tell Alex the name of his date. Stupid, but not entirely unexpected.

“Andrew,” he said. A waiter swooped in with a fresh set of cutlery and a menu, shooting a confused glance Alex’s way.

Alex was still looking at Andrew like that, as if he couldn’t quite believe what was happening. Andrew only sort-of regretted coming in so late.

“I already ordered.”

Good, thought Andrew. Definitely not high-maintenance.  He shrugged.

The silence was a bit awkward as Andrew waited for someone to come by and take his order. Normally it wouldn’t faze him, but he found himself combing his fingers through his bangs to straighten them and wishing he’d chosen a tighter shirt. He sent subtle glances Alex’s way the entire time, partly to drink in the fine features of his face and partly to gauge his reaction to the date. Alex, on the other hand, was blatant about his own staring, which made Andrew feel rather smug. Best case scenario had high hopes.

When the waiter came, he promised to push back Alex’s meal so the two would come out at the same time. Alex looked vexed, but only shot an irritated glance Andrew’s way before agreeing. Idly, Andrew wondered if the sex would be better if Alex was pissed.

They didn’t talk. Ironically, that had been Andrew’s plan - ignore his date throughout the entire dinner and stop Nicky from ever trying to interfere with his life again. He distracted himself with the condensation on his ice water, and watched the way Alex’s fingers - knobbly, thin, and scratched, which Andrew wouldn’t mind taking into his mouth - twisted into the tablecloth and fidgeted with his knife. 

Alex started talking halfway through the meal - strike two, counteracted by his complete attractiveness. He asked careful questions about Andrew’s job and life, if he had always lived in South Carolina or not. It seemed Alex had been set up by someone else too, since he kept asking if Andrew knew a guy named Nathan, but after awhile he finally shut up and Andrew was able to spend the rest of the dinner inwardly debating blowjobs against handjobs on the first encounter. Andrew very pointedly did not ask about Alex’s life, because he didn’t want to encourage any ideas about actually getting to know each other.

The bill arrived and Alex focused an annoyed look Andrew’s way. “I’m not paying for your food.”

Also good, thought Andrew. It’s not like he would have let Alex. He fished his wallet out of his pocket and pulled out enough bills to cover his own meal.

“Come on,” Andrew said, stuffing his wallet back into his pocket and grabbing his car keys instead. “Let’s go.”

“You’re not waiting for change?” Alex asked suspiciously.

Andrew shrugged. Kissing Alex was a bit higher on the priority list.

Alex paused a bit before following Andrew out. He shoved both hands into his pockets and hunched his shoulders. Andrew noticed the way he kept glancing around nervously, as if suddenly aware that the other patrons might care about the two of them leaving together. Andrew wondered if he was still closeted, but figured a conversation like that would open up too much heart-to-heart.

Andrew used the fob key to unlock his car. It looked sleek and sexy in the night, hopefully enough to impress Alex. “You drove here?”

Squinting at Andrew, Alex said, “No?”

That made it a bit easier to seduce Alex. Andrew didn’t particularly want to invite Alex to his apartment, regardless of how good-looking he was. He didn’t really trust Alex’s place either. Fooling around in the backseat was the best option.

Andrew even opened the door for him. “You first.”

“Um,” said Alex, looking very warily at Andrew. “I shouldn’t. My roommate’s expecting me back pretty soon.”

Shit, thought Andrew. Second thoughts.

Alex backed up nervously, and Andrew resolved not to push him. Needing to convince Alex to say “yes” left him in a grey area where consent wasn’t quite trustworthy.

“Wait,” he said.

Alex froze.

“Give me your phone,” Andrew told Alex. “Call me if you’re interested.”

After a moment of hesitation, Alex passed over his phone.

It barely took a glance to memorize Alex’s number, so Andrew only bothered with typing in his own into Alex’s phone. He handed it back with a quick prayer to no one in particular that Alex would, in time, call.

“Thanks.” Alex didn’t sound very thankful.

This time Andrew didn’t stop him as he made his escape.

What he did do, when he got home, was jerk off to a fantasy in which Alex really  _ had _ given enthusiastic consent.   


 

* * *

What Alex - even though the name on his new official documents was Neil Josten, fuck, he screwed up - did when  _ he _ got home was call up his roommate, Matt. Matt had not, in fact, been expecting him back, purely because he wasn’t even in the apartment.

“Dude, Neil, as much as I love it when you call, Dan and I are kinda on a date,” said Matt. Matt didn’t sound nearly as pissed as he would have with anyone else, because for some reason both he and Dan absolutely adored Neil. Neil thought it was becoming alarmingly easy to adore them back.

“Sorry,” Neil said. “Something weird happened, I’ll tell you when you get back. Just watch out for anyone trying to follow you.”

To Matt’s credit, he didn’t bat an eye.


	2. how to avoid your brother's wedding - knight and day au

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Anonymous asked:
>
>> Hi yes I adore you and wanted to share this au with someone and it seems like you like aus? Okay so an Andreil Knight and Day AU where Andrew is June and Neil is Roy and they meet when Andrew has to take a plane to Aaron's wedding and Neil uses him as a mule and basically the movie except Andrew is a lot more capable than June and Neil isn't quite as suave as Roy. Idk who Simon is. Maybe Kevin? IDK. 
> 
> Maybe that fear of heights is perfectly justified.

Anywhere else, and Andrew probably would have noticed that something was wrong. Instead, he was focused too much on his nerves, on the insecurity of not having knives hidden in his armbands. On the fast pace of his heartbeat and the sickly feeling in his stomach.

That and the hot guy who kept bumping into him.

He clambered out of his seat (aisle, which he had to fight the man sitting next to him for) and made his way towards the small washroom at the front of the plane. It smelled, was cramped as hell, but at least Andrew could spend a few minutes away from the plane’s shitty movie selection and the people sitting much too close. His body ached for a cigarette.

Andrew was probably spending a bit more time than appropriate inside the tiny stall, and a bunch of impatient noises from outside (airplane acoustics where weird, he thought) prompted him to scowl and yank the door open.

He ducked out of the way of a punch just in time.

Not one to let anyone off with trying to pick a fight, Andrew shoved his fist into his assailant’s gut. There wasn’t much space, so he made due with slamming the man’s head into the corner of one of the steward’s cabinets and realized with surprise that his attacker was also the annoying passenger to kept trying to force him into the window seat.

_Fuck this guy then_ , he thought, and satisfied himself with a final blow to the face.

The rest of the plane was in chaos, bodies strewn all over the place. Andrew wondered if this was all some weird dream, because otherwise he couldn’t imagine not being shoved in jail as soon as they landed. Concerningly, the door to the pilot’s cabin was open and Andrew’s fear of heights kicked in as soon as the adrenaline wore off.

“What the fuck,” he said to the guy in the pilot seat, the same one who had bumped into him multiple times at the airport. Blood splattered his clothes and a bruise was quickly forming on the top of his cheek (albeit a very nice cheek) as he turned towards Andrew. 

“Get your eyes back in front,” Andrew snapped. “If we crash I’m going to fucking _eviscerate_  you.”

“Probably the least of our problems,” the guy muttered. On the floor, the actual pilots were still, possibly dead, and Andrew was feeling nauseous looking out at the open sky.

“Again, what the fuck,” Andrew said.

Sighing loudly and dramatically, the guy flipped a bunch of buttons. “Congratulations, you just got onto a plane with five assassins and a priceless piece of technology that they were ordered to kill me for. Sorry about the guy outside the bathroom, I was a little distracted.”

“How do I know that you’re not planning on killing me too?” Andrew asked suspiciously. The chances of him surviving without anyone to fly the plane were beyond slim, so instead his mind was racing for other ways to get out of this alive.

“Um, because I’m not a power-hungry freak like Riko?”

“Your argument is flawed,” Andrew told him flatly. He wondered if he could loot one of the bodies for a weapon.

“Too bad,” the guy said, jerking the steering wheel of the plane down. “You should probably find something to hold onto, though. And maybe consider cancelling whatever plans you had.”

Andrew wondered if this was the universe’s response to him not wanting to attend Aaron’s wedding.


	3. ghosts - baltimore au

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Anonymous asked:
>
>> OK SO neil, for whatever reason, doesn't come back from Baltimore. He's still alive, but he just doesn't return /home/ to the Foxes. The fbi agent says the house was set on fire while neil and his father's ppl were still inside. Nobody believes him obv so he shows them photographs. Needless to say, Foxes know what pain is, but /this/, this is one even they don't know how to handle. And andrew? What soul he had left in him was gone from then on. Until neil finally comes back two years later.
> 
> more of this au [here](http://broship-addict.tumblr.com/post/147983408652/is-there-anymore-to-the-post-about-neil-not-going)

Stuart Hatford takes one look at Nathaniel - at _Neil_ (the obvious subtraction of that bastard’s name makes him smile through his grief) and decides that _fuck_ the Moriyamas; they have next to no power in Britain, and he’s taking his nephew home.

Neil’s unconscious through the patchwork job one of Stuart’s men tries, unconscious through the drive to the airport, and just barely cognitive as they go through airport “security”.  He passes out again on the plane back to the UK, which he and his mother never should have left in the first place.

Stuart knows that Mary didn’t want Neil in the Hatford family business.  For anyone else, he wouldn’t have cared, but Stuart had always loved his sister.  For Mary, he’ll give Neil his freedom far, far away from the reach of Wesninski’s goons and the Moriyamas.

* * *

When you’ve been in one cell, you’ve been in them all, Andrew thinks viciously, letting the blood drip from his knuckles.  Wymack’s trying to get his release from the feds, arguing that Andrew punching one of them in the face and pulling a knife on another was a move built on the emotional grief from Neil’s death, but honestly, Andrew can’t bring himself to give a damn.  

He doesn’t care, but understands, vaguely, that getting out is important to keeping his promises, his _remaining_ promises to Aaron and Kevin.  Not that that bastard deserved his protection; the finger marks around Kevin’s throat serve as a reminder that Neil was there, that Neil wanted to stay (with him), that Neil was gone because of his fucked-up father and Kevin’s cowardice.

Eventually Wymack succeeds and Andrew’s led out of the cell.  They uncuff his wrists but refuse to return his armbands, so Wymack offers him his jacket as a way out of showing the Foxes his scars.  He takes it, because he can’t deal with their reactions along with the rawness of Neil’s death.

The ride back to campus is silent, save for the occasional sob.  The Foxes’ most successful season is over, but nobody cares about that.

* * *

Kevin joins Andrew on the roof a week later, stumbling through the bottle’s worth of vodka in his veins.  His eyes are red, and if it’s because of the end of the Exy season Andrew’s going to gut him right there on the roof.  His own bottle of alcohol is nearly empty.  The second cigarette lying lit on the concrete next to it turns it into a fire hazard.

“He wanted me to keep it a secret,” Kevin says with a drunken slur, as if the information made a difference.  Andrew would always respect Neil’s boundaries, physically, but has no time for Neil’s countless secrets.  Especially when they get him killed.  “Neil thought he was going to die.”

Andrew thinks that Kevin’s trying to die, with the way he’s continuing.  “Shut up.”

Normally Kevin would be cowed immediately, but either the alcohol’s finally make him braver or the bastard has his own grief.  “He told me that he’ll play for the year then turn everything in to the FBI.  Both his father and the Moriyamas.  And then he’ll die, once he’s no longer hidden.”  

“ _Shut up_.”

“You’re not the only one who misses him.  But Neil wanted-”

“Who the _fuck_ cares what that idiot wanted?!  He’s _dead_.  He ran and ran and lied and he finally got caught, so don’t you _dare_ make this about fucking Exy.  And don’t you fucking dare pretend that you give a shit because if you did then maybe Neil would still be alive.”

Andrew knows that Kevin could have never done what Neil had planned.  Kevin had spent his entire life abused and hurt under the Moriyamas’ control, and didn’t have the will to fight back against his masters.  Andrew knows what helplessness and fear felt like, but none of that mattered anymore.  For the first time in so long, Andrew had let himself _want_  and lost as a result.  He remembered the way Neil talked and smiled and kissed him on the bus to Binghamton despite the countdown on his phone.  He thought of Neil’s final words to him, of the quiet “ _Thank you, you were amazing,”_ and let his hatred of that idiot bleed out into everything.

“Get out,” he says.  Andrew’s tone is so final, so broken, that this time Kevin listens without another word.  The door to the roof slams shut and Andrew tries not to think about how Neil would always stop it just in time to soften the close, as if trying to disappear without a trace.

* * *

Matt doesn’t normally make a habit out of answering unknown numbers, but it’s around the time that his mom usually calls so he picks up the phone without looking at the screen.  After ten seconds of silence, he pulls away and realizes that the ringtone playing was totally wrong.

“Hello?” he asks. “You probably have the wrong number so I’m gonna-”

“Wait!” says a voice that Matt hadn’t heard in a month, that he thought was dead, and suddenly the world feels like it’s spinning.  “Matt?  He only just got me an apartment and phone, so I wasn’t able to call until now, but-”

Neil Josten, under a different name, sighs in a tired way.  “I missed you.  All of you.  I can’t come back, but I miss you so much.  Try to keep Andrew from breaking your phone.”


	4. journey's end (of a sort) - fma au

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> more of this au [here](http://broship-addict.tumblr.com/tagged/fma-au)
> 
> The corrupted military high command is defeated, Nathan Wesninski is dead, and all that's left is coming home.   
> (aka five years later and I am still a massive loser for fma)

* * *

The door to Neil’s room slams open, and he can’t even say that he’s surprised to see Andrew behind it. His grip tightens around the railing Hernandez had mounted along the wall, and Neil turns so his back is against it and he’s facing Andrew. He feels himself being observed carefully as Andrew shuts the door behind himself without looking.

“ _Millport automail_? This is where you’ve been hiding?” Unlike before, Andrew’s face doesn’t match the bite behind his words. His expression is blank, and Neil wonders if he’s imagining the steel in his eyes.

“I haven’t been hiding,” Neil points out. “Everyone on the team knows I’ve been here.”

_Everyone except you_ , he meant. He hadn’t wanted to distract Andrew from his own recovery.

Maybe a month ago that would have provoked a reaction from Andrew, be it an uncontrollably manic smile or an ugly flash of rage. Instead, Andrew just stares at him flatly. “Do they know you’ve been trying to walk? They must not, because otherwise this room would be full of idiots trying to teach you what ‘recovery’ means.”

Neil scowls at him, arms itching to cross if not for the fact that they’re the only things holding him up. The stumps where his legs once were are agonizing, nerve endings still screaming and the automail port feeling entirely foreign. “If a twelve year old can recover in a year, so can I.”

“Why? Places to be?” Andrew asks snidely, except what he means is, _Are you finally going to run?_

“Nah,” Neil says, shifting a bit more of his weight onto the railing. “I miss researching, though. And the team. My morning runs, too.”

Andrew doesn’t scowl, but somehow manages to convey something similar. He moves to stand in front of Neil, a careful couple of inches between their bodies. Their breathes mix together and Neil is suddenly conscious of the beads of sweat trickling from his hair down his face. 

“Hey,” he whispers.

“You are the fucking worst,” Andrew snarls. Slowly - so slowly that Neil could stop him easily - he leans forward. His eyes dart between Neil’s own and his mouth before closing and there’s a determined little furrow between his eyebrows that Neil’s attention is caught on. With a tenderness that he wouldn’t have thought possible, Andrew tilts his head up and presses their lips together.

Distantly, Neil wonders if Andrew has to stand on his toes to reach him, or if he’s bent down enough that three inches isn’t an issue. It only distracts him for so long, and suddenly Neil’s thinking of the way their mouths fit together perfectly, of how good it feels as Andrew deepens the kiss, of the first forbidden brush of lips they had tried a year ago, terrified and desperate.

Heart sinking in his chest, he pulls away.

“Andrew,” Neil says softly. “We _can’t_.”

Andrew looks at Neil, feels the tightness in his body try to curl him inward. One good thing about being sky-high on drugs is that moments of vulnerability come in few and far between, he thinks bitterly.

“Do you want to?”

“Yes,” Neil answers without hesitation. They’d spent years orbiting around each other, anti-fraternization laws forcing them to pretend that there’s no force pulling them together. “More than anything.”

Tilting forward so his head is resting right above Neil’s heart, Andrew tells him, “I’m quitting the military.”

Neil’s heartbeat skitters.

“You don’t have to-”

“I want to,” Andrew interrupts. “It doesn’t mean anything to me. You’re like a junkie addicted to alchemy, unable to comprehend not having it in your life. I’m not going to be a fucking dog for the military, ready to attack and heel at their command.”

_You can’t put a leash on me_ , he had once warned Neil. Because the drugs and the Moriyama’s grip on his family had already done the job.

“What will you do?” Neil asks. A quiet fury, at everything the Moriyamas and corrupted high command had done to them, threatens to break free. “You said before that Aaron and Nicky were the only things you cared to live for.”

Andrew looks up at him, turns his head so Neil can see the little freckles splashed across his cheeks. His hands make their way to Neil’s and cover them gently. “Nicky’s quitting too. Said he plans to travel west. Aaron’s planning on working on his medical degree, might go to Xing and try learning alkahestry.”

“You?” Neil thinks that the team would be lonely without them.

Huffing out a fake sigh, Andrew says, “I can think of someone in need of constant surveillance. He’s stupid, and can’t seem to go a day without someone trying to kill him.”

“Yourself included?”

“You make life interesting,” Andrew allows. “For now you’re safe.”

Smiling at the light feeling in between his healing ribs, Neil relaxes his body against the railing. “Can I?” he asks, staring at Andrew’s lips.

Andrew’s hand appears on the back of his neck to guide him down, and Neil relishes in the feeling of this kiss too. Andrew sucks on his lower lip and he gives an appreciative moan in response. He shifts forward, leaning a bit too much weight onto his legs, and breaks their contact with a hiss of pain.

No one else would notice the concern in Andrew’s expression, hidden in the downturn of his mouth and the way he looks at Neil. “I told you that you shouldn’t be walking,” he mutters. “Yes or no?”

“And I told you that I trust you. It’s always yes with you.”

Eyes clenched shut, Andrew says, “I knew I should have gotten rid of you,” in a voice so quiet that Neil’s not sure if he was meant to hear it. He slowly opens them and bends down, arms hooking around Neil’s legs and his back.

Neil blinks and finds himself in Andrew’s arms three feet above the floor. Fingers clench into his thighs to minimize pressure on the ports just above Neil’s knees, and he can feel the muscles of Andrew’s arms strain.

“Oh,” he says dumbly.

Rolling his eyes, Andrew carries him over to his bed with ease, as if he wasn’t carrying a grown man and two steel prosthetics. Neil finds himself being lowered onto the messy sheets, suddenly feeling colder without Andrew’s body heat, and tangles his fingers into the sleeve of Andrew’s shirt as he moves away.

“Stay?”

Andrew’s gaze traces from his fingers to his face, resting a little longer on his lips - no doubt swollen - before finally making it’s way down to the space beside Neil. His bed is pushed against the wall, meaning that if Neil scoots over there’d be enough space for the two of them to squeeze together.

“You’re so needy,” Andrew huffs, but slides the top-most sheet out from under Neil’s automail so he can pull it over the both of them. Impulsively, he leans in and presses a quick kiss to Neil’s forehead, watching the way his eyelashes flutter.

“Mmm,” Neil agrees. “Can I?” he asks again, gesturing to the tiny gap between them. At Andrew’s agreement he nestles into his side, head resting against Andrew’s broad shoulders and hands playing with the edge of the blanket.

“Stop that.” Reaching out, Andrew grabs Neil’s hands with his own, deciding to hold onto them if it’d stop Neil from fidgeting. He steadfastly ignores the little grin on Neil’s face, along with the way it warms his stomach.

Neil’s breath begins to even out and Andrew squeezes his hand in warning. “Don’t you dare fall asleep on me. What happened to one year recovery?”

“That was before I knew I’d have you,” Neil retorts, as if he doesn’t know what he’s doing to Andrew. “You can carry me around. My knight in shining armor.”

Andrew wonders if Neil can feel the pulse point at his wrist and the way his heart just skipped a beat.

“Don’t say stupid things.” For the better part of a decade he’d been the military’s resident monster, destructive and treated like nothing more than an attack dog so long as he’d stayed in line. Neil had changed that, and Andrew hated him more than anything.

“Don’t call you my knight in shining armor or don’t call you out on the fact that you’re planning on staying with me?” Neil asks, a smile in his voice. “You like it when I’m honest with you.”

“Maybe you _do_ have to worry about me murdering you,” Andrew allows. He likes the press of heat against his side, and absently traces the curve of Neil’s knuckles with his fingers.

Neil laughs, and something about this moment feels like _home_.


	5. number two - blind date au

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Possible spoilers for _Wonder Woman_ and warning for Andrew being a bit cruder.
> 
> This the second part of the blind date au. More of this au [here](http://broship-addict.tumblr.com/tagged/blind-date-au/chrono) .
> 
> In which neither Andrew nor Neil know that they’re on a date. It’s less than romantic.

“He wanted to drive me _somewhere_ ,” Neil said. “Then made me take his number when I refused, because holy shit, that was _creepy_.”

“Have you considered that he’s not tied to your father at all? I mean, I’m pretty sure they wouldn’t let you walk away,” Dan said. She was leaning against Matt, the two of them lazy with the afterglow of whatever they must have done last night. At least they’re quiet, Neil thought, and at least they both returned home unmurdered.

“Why else would he talk to me?”

Matt ran his fingers through Dan’s hair affectionately. “Maybe he’s friendly?”

At Neil’s sour face he laughed. “C’mon, you’ve been needing to branch out. Talk to someone who you don’t live or work with for a change.”

“I don’t _need_ to,” Neil protested.

“No offense,” Dan said, “But you’re kind of an asshole. Try making new friends while they’re throwing themselves at you - or just crashing your dinner.”

When Neil turned to Matt he only shrugged. “She’s right. We love you anyways.”

 

* * *

  

> From: Alex, 9:42
> 
> _Hey, would you like to hang out?_

 

 Finally, thought Andrew. He scoffed at the grade-school terminology, but if all went well Alex wouldn’t be speaking very much.

 

> To: Alex, 9:42
> 
> _sure_

  

> From: Alex, 9:45
> 
> _How about a movie?_

  

> To: Alex, 9:46
> 
> _really?_

 

 Andrew frowned in frustration - texting never managed to capture deadpan sarcasm right, and he preferred his disinterested persona to the constant thoughts about Alex.

 

>  From: Alex, 9:47
> 
> _Yes? My friend says that Wonder Woman is good._

 

Squinting at the screen, Andrew reread the last message. _Wonder Woman_ was probably the weirdest thing to go out and watch as a precursor for gay fucking. Still, he thought about what they could do after - who knows, maybe Alex has a thing for Chris Pine - and forced himself to look up times.

 

> To: Alex, 9:50
> 
> _theres a showing at 830 on sat. regal. meet u there?_

 

> From: Alex, 9:50
> 
> _Sound’s good._

 

* * *

 

This time Andrew made sure to clean up. He had shaved earlier than usual, so there was a bit of stubble - hopefully reminiscent of certain actors - on his chin. Both his shirt and jeans were tight and black, and he’d even sprayed on a bit of husky cologne. The only allowance he made was his jacket, because if Alex had a problem with him sneaking in ten bags of bulk-aisle candy into movies, even the fucking wouldn’t be worth it.

He parked in the shadow of the theatre, sacrificing the sexy way his car caught the light in favour of a little more privacy later on. Inside, Andrew had to make a few quick rounds of the lobby, just to make sure he hadn’t missed Alex - only a few inches taller than him - before going to the box office and purchasing their tickets. He finally settled himself against a wall facing the entrance and pulled out his phone to check for any new messages.

Alex arrived only a few minutes later, looking a little scruffy and windswept. It was unfair that it made him sexier, because he was still dressed in grubby, oversized clothes. Andrew thought that at the very least, they’ll be easier to pull off later.

“Late,” he told Alex. He’d made himself comfortable, tilting his head in a way that was meant to made him look both intimidating and handsome despite his height.

“Sorry,” Alex said sheepishly, running fingers through his hair to smooth it out. “The bus was late.”

“I could drive you next time,” Andrew offered, then realized what _next time_ meant.

Alex looked at him unsurely. “I’m fine.”

Shrugging, Andrew picked at his nails in a way that hopefully made it look like he didn’t care. “Come on, then. I already bought the tickets.”

“How much?”

“Doesn't matter.” It only occurred to Andrew later that paying for Alex’s ticket made the movie an actual _date_.

Alex shuffled after Andrew towards the theatre. He ignored the way the ticket collector batted her eyes at him - guess he’s not bi, then - and followed Andrew all the way up to the top, where it’d be more private. It was late enough and _Wonder Woman_ had been out long enough that the theatre didn't fill up, and no one bothered coming to the far back.

Pulling out a bag of already-unwrapped chocolate bars, Andrew glanced over at Alex to see if he’d want any before leaning back in satisfaction when Alex shook his head. The trailers seemed to drag on forever, and Andrew found himself focusing more on the sharp lines of Alex’s face and the way his fingers tangled together in the dim light than whatever ads they had playing.

Andrew crunched his way through the first three bags of chocolate, switching to gummied sours once the battle at Veld finished. His interest - only piqued because he could appreciate good fight choreography - faded as the boring het scene played out, except the music wasn't half-bad and beside him, Alex had begun to fidget.

Andrew imagined how much more interesting he could make things for Alex. Exhibitionism wasn't usually his thing, but he could picture the way Alex would bite his lip to keep quiet and try desperately to pay attention to the movie. They’d be practically invisible at the back, and he’d tease Alex to the brink, until his whimpers got too loud for the soundtrack to cover up. Maybe this time Andrew would have more luck christening his backseat.

“Yes or no?” He whispered, hand hovering above Alex’s crotch and leaning in closer than necessary so his breath would brush over Alex's ear.

Alex didn't even look his way, just shook his head as the scene faded. Withdrawing, Andrew grabbed another candy to settle the disappointment in his stomach.

(Strike three, except for some reason, Andrew couldn’t bring himself to leave the diamond.)

Eventually the movie finished - it must have been interesting, considering how captivated Alex looked - but Andrew ended up watching very little. Beside him, Alex cracked his neck and stretched out his legs before turning to Andrew and - _oh._ Smiling like that suited him.

“Good?” Alex asked him, and somehow Andrew found himself nodding along.

“The climax was okay,” Andrew said, because apparently he had other things on his mind. “Effects could have done with some work.”

Andrew let his eidetic memory do most of the conversing, spouting bullshit and dry comments in the hopes of pulling out another smile. The credits were playing but neither of them moved from their seats, maybe because fighting through the crowd seemed unappealing, maybe because they wanted to spend more time together. Andrew leaned his elbow onto their shared armrest and focused a hooded stare at Alex, slowly licking the remaining sugar from the tips of his fingers.

“We could have some fun before I drive you home,” he said as they finally got up.

Instantly the pleased grin on Alex’s face turned wary. “You don’t need to. I can take the bus.”

This, Andrew realized, was when he was supposed to cut ties with Alex. He had no interest in a farce of a relationship, in pretending to play nice with a closeted guy, no matter how attractive he looked.

Instead, he said, “Okay.” And then, “Text me when you get home.”

The wary look became confused, until after a moment of hesitation, Alex nodded. “I had fun,” he told Andrew, the words sounding awkward on his tongue and fuck, this really was a date wasn’t it?

“Yeah,” Andrew forced himself to say. “Me too.”

Alex turned back to glance at him as he walked away. Andrew clenched and unclenched his hands.

He could drop this at any time, Andrew thought. Alex was just a way to keep things interesting for awhile.

 

* * *

 

Shit, Neil thought, doubling back and watching carefully for anyone tailing him. After letting him go twice, he was pretty sure Andrew had nothing to do with his father, and he’d forgotten to clear out the whole name thing.

Neil made a silent promise to himself to never let Matt or Dan know, because they’d never let him live it down.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Neil thought Andrew was offering him some candy lmao

**Author's Note:**

> come say hi on [tumblr](http://broship-addict.tumblr.com)!


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